초록 ▼

A reusable space launch system having a reusable booster, a reusable orbiter, and a reusable third vehicle. The booster and orbiter provide ascent propulsion to put the third vehicle in orbit. The booster, orbiter and third vehicle each non-destructively return to earth independently of one another.

A reusable space launch system having a reusable booster, a reusable orbiter, and a reusable third vehicle. The booster and orbiter provide ascent propulsion to put the third vehicle in orbit. The booster, orbiter and third vehicle each non-destructively return to earth independently of one another. The booster, orbiter and third vehicle can be refurbished and used in another space launch system as desired. The third vehicle is either a cargo containing vehicle or a crew transfer vehicle. The crew transfer vehicle is substantially the cargo containing vehicle with a crew module in the payload bay.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A reusable launch system comprising:first, second, and third reusable vehicles connected together and each having an onboard fuel supply and a propulsion engine, characterized in that: said first vehicle is operable to propel said first, second and third vehicles from a launch site to a first sta

1. A reusable launch system comprising:first, second, and third reusable vehicles connected together and each having an onboard fuel supply and a propulsion engine, characterized in that: said first vehicle is operable to propel said first, second and third vehicles from a launch site to a first staging location below low earth orbit using said propulsion engine on said first vehicle, separate from said second and third vehicles at said first staging location, and non-destructively return to earth independently of said second and third vehicles; said second vehicle is operable to propel said second and third vehicles from said first staging location to a first orbit using said propulsion engine on said second vehicle, separate from said third vehicle at said first orbit, and non-destructively return to earth independently of said first and third vehicles; said third vehicle is operable to independently propel itself from said first orbit to a second orbit higher than said first orbit using said propulsion engine on said third vehicle, non-destructively return to earth independently of said first and second vehicles, and at least one of deliver a payload in orbit and retrieve a payload in orbit; and said third vehicle is at least one of a cargo carrying vehicle and a crew carrying vehicle, wherein said third vehicle is operable to assist in propelling said second and third vehicles from said first staging location to said first orbit using said propulsion engine on said third vehicle. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said second vehicle is operable to assist in propelling said first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location using said propulsion engine on said second vehicle.3. The system of claim 2, wherein said third vehicle is operable to assist in propelling said first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location using said propulsion engine on said third vehicle.4. The system of claim 1, wherein said cargo carrying vehicle has a payload bay and said crew carrying vehicle is substantially said cargo carrying vehicle with a passenger module in said payload bay.5. A method of operating a reusable launch system having first, second and third reusable vehicles connected together and each having an onboard fuel supply and a propulsion engine, the method comprising the steps of:(a) propelling the first, second and third vehicles from a launch site to a first staging location with the propulsion engine on the first vehicle; (b) separating the first vehicle from the second and third vehicles at said first staging location; (c) non-destructively returning the first vehicle to earth independently of the second and third vehicles; (d) propelling the second and third vehicles from said first staging location to a first orbit with the propulsion engines on the second and third vehicles; (e) separating the second vehicle from the third vehicle; (f) non-destructively returning the second vehicle to earth independently of the first and third vehicles; (g) propelling the third vehicle to a second orbit different from said first orbit with the propulsion engine on the third vehicle; (h) performing at least one of delivering a payload and retrieving a payload in orbit with the third vehicle; and (i) non-destructively returning the third vehicle to earth independently of the first and second vehicles. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (a) further comprises propelling the first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location with the propulsion engines on the first, second and third vehicles.7. The method of claim 5, wherein step (a) further comprises propelling the first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location with the propulsion engines on the first and second vehicles.8. The method of claim 5, wherein step (c) further comprises landing the first vehicle on earth.9. The method of claim 5, wherein step (f) further comprises landing the second vehicle on earth.10. The method of claim 5, wherein step (i) further comprises landing the third vehicle on earth.11. The method of claim 5, wherein the third vehicle is a cargo carrying vehicle with a payload bay and further comprising the step of placing a crew carrying module in said payload bay prior to performing step (a).12. A reusable launch system comprising:first, second, and third reusable vehicles connected together and each having an onboard fuel supply and a propulsion engine, characterized in that: said first vehicle is operable to propel said first, second and third vehicles from a launch site to a first staging location below low earth orbit using said propulsion engine on said first vehicle, separate from said second and third vehicles at said first staging location, and non-destructively return to earth independently of said second and third vehicles; said second vehicle is operable to propel said second and third vehicles from said first staging location to a first orbit using said propulsion engine on said second vehicle, separate from said third vehicle at said first orbit, and non-destructively return to earth independently of said first and third vehicles; said third vehicle is operable to independently propel itself from said first orbit to a second orbit higher than said first orbit using said propulsion engine on said third vehicle, non-destructively return to earth independently of said first and second vehicles, and at least one of deliver a payload in orbit and retrieve a payload in orbit; said second vehicle has an external geometry and said third vehicle has an external geometry that is substantially the same as said external geometry of said second vehicle; and said third vehicle is at least one of a cargo carrying vehicle and a crew carrying vehicle. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein said second vehicle has an avionics hardware package, said third vehicle has an avionics hardware package, and said avionics hardware package of said third vehicle is substantially the same as said avionics hardware package of said second vehicle.14. The system of claim 12, wherein said propulsion engine on said third vehicle is substantially the same as said propulsion engine on said second vehicle.15. The system of claim 12, wherein said second vehicle has landing gear, said third vehicle has landing gear, and said landing gear on said third vehicle is substantially the same as said landing gear on said second vehicle.16. The system of claim 12, wherein said second vehicle is operable to assist in propelling said first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location using said propulsion engine on said second vehicle.17. The system of claim 16, wherein said third vehicle is operable to assist in propelling said first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location using said propulsion engine on said third vehicle.18. The system of claim 12, wherein said third vehicle is operable to assist in propelling said second and third vehicles from said first staging location to said first orbit using said propulsion engine on said third vehicle.19. The system of claim 12, wherein said cargo carrying vehicle has a payload bay and said crew carrying vehicle is substantially said cargo carrying vehicle with a passenger module in said payload bay.20. A method of deploying and retrieving payloads in orbit comprising the steps of:(a) providing a first reusable vehicle having a fuel supply, a propulsion engine, and an external geometry; (b) providing a second reusable vehicle having a fuel supply, a propulsion engine, and an external geometry; (c) providing a third reusable vehicle having a fuel supply, a propulsion engine, and an external geometry that is substantially the same as said external geometry of said second vehicle; (d) connecting said first, second, and third vehicles together; (e) propelling said first, second and third vehicles from a launch site to a first staging location with said propulsion engine on said first vehicle; (f) separating said first vehicle from said second and third vehicles at said first staging location; (g) non-destructively returning said first vehicle to earth independently of said second and third vehicles; (h) propelling said second and third vehicles from said first staging location to a first orbit with said propulsion engine on said second vehicle; (i) separating said second vehicle from said third vehicle; (j) non-destructively returning said second vehicle to earth independently of said first and third vehicles; (k) propelling said third vehicle to a second orbit different from said first orbit with said propulsion engine on said third vehicle; (l) performing at least one of delivering a payload and retrieving a payload in orbit with said third vehicle; and (m) non-destructively returning said third vehicle to earth independently of said first and second vehicles. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein step (e) further comprises propelling said first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location with said propulsion engines on said first and second vehicles.22. The method of claim 21, wherein step (e) further comprises propelling said first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location with said propulsion engines on said first, second and third vehicles.23. The method of claim 20, wherein step (h) further comprises propelling said second and third vehicles from said first staging location to said first orbit with said propulsion engines on said second and third vehicles.24. The method of claim 20, wherein said third vehicle is a cargo carrying vehicle with a payload bay and further comprising the step of placing a crew carrying module in said payload bay prior to performing step (e).25. The method of claim 20, wherein step (b) further comprises providing said second vehicle with landing gear and step (c) further comprises providing said third vehicle with landing gear substantially the same as said landing gear on said second vehicle.26. The method of claim 20, wherein step (b) further comprises providing said second vehicle with an avionics hardware package and step (c) further comprises providing said third vehicle with an avionics hardware package substantially the same as said avionics hardware package on said second vehicle.27. The method of claim 20, wherein step (a) further comprises providing said first vehicle with an external geometry that is substantially the same as said external geometries of said second and third vehicles.28. The method of claim 27, wherein:step (a) further comprises providing said first vehicle with landing gear; step (b) further comprises providing said second vehicle with landing gear substantially the same as said landing gear on said first vehicle; and step (c) further comprises providing said third vehicle with landing gear substantially the same as said landing gear on said first and second vehicles. 29. The method of claim 27, wherein:step (a) further comprises providing said first vehicle with an avionics hardware package; step (b) further comprises providing said second vehicle with an avionics hardware package substantially the same as said avionics hardware package on said first vehicle; and step (c) further comprises providing said third vehicle with an avionics hardware package substantially the same as said avionics hardware packages on said first and second vehicles. 30. The method of claim 27, wherein step (e) further comprises propelling said first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location with said propulsion engines on said first and second vehicles.31. The method of claim 30, wherein step (e) further comprises propelling said first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location with said propulsion engines on said first, second and third vehicles.32. The method of claim 27, wherein step (h) further comprises propelling said second and third vehicles from said first staging location to said first orbit with said propulsion engines on said second and third vehicles.33. A reusable launch system comprising:first, second, and third reusable vehicles connected together and each having a fuel supply and a propulsion engine, characterized in that: said first vehicle is operable to propel said first, second and third vehicles from a launch site to a first staging location below low earth orbit using said propulsion engine on said first vehicle, separate from said second and third vehicles at said first staging position, and non-destructively return to earth independently of said second and third vehicles; said second vehicle is operable to propel said second and third vehicles from said first staging location to a first orbit using said propulsion engine on said second vehicle, separate from said third vehicle at said first orbit, and non-destructively return to earth independently of said first and third vehicles; said third vehicle is operable to independently propel itself from said first orbit to a second orbit higher than said first orbit using said propulsion engine on said third vehicle, non-destructively return to earth independently of said first and second vehicles, and at least one of deliver a payload in orbit and retrieve a payload in orbit; said first vehicle has an external geometry, said second vehicle has an external geometry that is substantially the same as said external geometry of said first vehicle, and said third vehicle has an external geometry that is substantially the same as said external geometries of said first and second vehicles; and said third vehicle is at least one of a cargo carrying vehicle and a crew carrying vehicle. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein said first vehicle has an avionics hardware package, said second vehicle has an avionics hardware package that is substantially the same as said avionics hardware package on said first vehicle, and said third vehicle has an avionics hardware package that is substantially the same as said avionics hardware packages of said first and second vehicles.35. The system of claim 33, wherein said propulsion engines on said first, second and third vehicles are substantially the same.36. The system of claim 33, wherein said first vehicle has landing gear, said second vehicle has landing gear that is substantially the same as said landing gear on said first vehicle, and said third vehicle has landing gear that is substantially the same as said landing gear on said first and second vehicles.37. The system of claim 33, wherein said second vehicle is operable to assist in propelling said first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location using said propulsion engine on said second vehicle.38. The system of claim 37, wherein said third vehicle is operable to assist in propelling said first, second and third vehicles from said launch site to said first staging location using said propulsion engine on said third vehicle.39. The system of claim 33, wherein said third vehicle is operable to assist in propelling said second and third vehicles from said first staging location to said first orbit using said propulsion engine on said third vehicle.40. The system of claim 33, wherein said cargo carrying vehicle has a payload bay and said crew carrying vehicle is substantially said cargo carrying vehicle with passenger module in said payload bay.